Bordeaux on the brink of clinching title

Girondins Bordeaux could clinch their first French title in a decade in Saturday's home Ligue 1 encounter against Monaco but that looks unlikely to stem the exodus of some of their top players at the end of the season.

Laurent Blanc's side will be crowned champions for the
first time since 1999 if they beat Monaco and Marseille fail to
win at Nancy. If Bordeaux get a draw, a Marseille defeat would
hand the Aquitaine side the title.

Saturday's match could, however, be the last one at the
Chaban Delmas stadium for Moroccan Marouane Chamakh and
Brazilian Fernando, who have both been instrumental in the
club's ongoing nine-game winning streak.

"Leave the club as a French champion, that would be
amazing. I might play my last game at the Chaban Delmas stadium
on Saturday," midfielder Fernando told sports daily L'Equipe
earlier this week.

Striker Chamakh told L'Equipe he dreamed about playing in
the Premier League and had been in contact with London
club Tottenham Hotspur.

"I want to go. If we win the title, I will leave without a
guilty conscience," the 25-year-old told the paper.

Chamakh has scored 12 goals in Ligue 1 this season, the
same as his French team mate Yoann Gourcuff. The France
playmaker joined Bordeaux on loan from AC Milan this season.
The French club has an option to buy him but Gourcuff also has
his say.

"I still haven't made my decision," he told reporters after
scoring his sixth goal in five games last weekend. "It is not
an easy one. I grew up as a player here this season."

Although they trail Bordeaux by three points with two games
remaining, Marseille have not given up hope of being the club
to end Olympique Lyon's seven-year rule over Ligue 1.

Lyon, now seven points off the pace, gave Bordeaux the edge
on Marseille with their 3-1 victory at Stade Velodrome last
Sunday.